6-halo-19-nor-delta4,6-androstadien-17beta-ol-3-one derivatives



United States Patent 3,102,897 6-HALO-19-NGR-M -ANDRQSTADEEN-HB-OLQ- ONE DERIVATIVES Howard J. Ringold and John A. Zderic, Mexico City, .Mexico, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Syntax Corporation, a corporation of Panama No Drawing. Filed Nov. 30, 1959, Ser. No. 856,010 Claims priority, application Mexico Dec. 3, 1953 25 Claims. (Cl. zen-497.4

The present invention relates to new cyclopentanophenanthrene derivatives and to processes for the production of the same.

More particularly, it relates ot the novel 6-halo-17u- (aliphatic hydrocarbyl) 19-nor-A -androstadien-17;3ol- 3-ones, as well as to their esters The halogen at 6- position is either chlorine, bromine or fluorine. Aliphatic hydrocarbyl or aliphatyl radicals are radicals of hydrocarbons of up to 8 carbon atoms, including those having triple bonds in their chain, i.e., alkylssuch as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, isohutyl and alkinyls such as ethinyl, propinyl-(l), butinyl-( l), etc; by esters as used in this application We mean those formed with the acyl radicals of hydrocarbon carboxylic acids of up to 12 carbon atoms, which are saturated or unsaturated, of straight, branched, cyclic or mixed aliphatic cyclic chain, and which may further be substituted with functional groups such as hydnoxyl, O-acyl, alkoxy (of up to 5 carbon atoms) or halogen; typical esters are, among others, the acetates, propionates, butyrates, hemisuccim.

ates, enanthates, caproates, benzoates, trimethylacetates, phenoxyacetates, cyclopentylpropionates and Si-chloropropionates. t

The novel 6-halo-l7-a-aliphatyl-l9-n-or-A -androstadien-17,6-ol -3-rones are represented by the general formula:

corresponding compounds without substituent and with out double bond a (3-6, that is, from the l7et aliphatyl- 19-nor-A -androsten-17fi-ol-3-ones, and used a process described by Ringold, Djerassi and Velasco in patent application Serial No 826,120, filed July 10, 1959, which process comprises, in combination, that a double bond is first introduced at C-6 to produce the l7u-aliphatyll9-nor-A -androstadien-17fi-ol-3 ones, whereupon the new double bond is oxidized to form a 6a,7a-epOXide, and the latter is then treated with a hydrogen halide being either hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide or hydrogen fluoride to obtain the desired 6-halo-6-dehydro compounds, either in a single step or in two steps, isocompound I is carried out by reaction with a quinone chloranil.

Patented Sept. 3, 1963 2 lating in the latter case a 6B-halo-7a-hydroxy intermediatewhich is further dehydrated.

The above process is illustrated by the following reaction diagram, wherein X, R, and R have the same meaning as explained hereinbefore:

w OR OR I... I... H HI I l dehydrogenation O- O t I II lperacid OR OR 1... I... 4 HI Q aqueous HX on o X. IV "0 III dehydration\ Aw EX OR H) As a first step in the processof the invention the introduction of a double bond at 0-6 into the starting of adequate oxidationmeduction potential such as chloranil, for example by refluxing a solution of the steroid I in a mixture of ethyl acetate, and glacial acetic acid with The epoxidation of the double bond of compound II then is effected with an appropriate peracid, such as for example with monoperphthalic acid in a mixture of methylene chloride and ether; the conversion of the 6a,7a-epoxide III into the 6-halo-6-dehydro compound V comprises the opening of the epoxide ring by the addition of the elements of the hydrogen halide and the subsequent dehydration on the resulting intermediate fi halo-h-hydroxy compound IV. For preparing the 6-fluoro-6-dehydro compounds we treat the epoxides first With hydrogen fluoride in mixture with tetrahydrofurane and chloroform, at low temperature, and the resulting 6/3-fluoro-7u-hydroxy compound is dehydrated through the action of dry hydrogen chloride in acetic acid solution. For preparing the 6-chloro-6 dehydro compounds there is no need of using two separate reactions, but the opening of the epoxide ring and the dehydration are achieved in a single step by treating the epoxide with dry hydrogen chloride in glacial acetic acid solution. In the same manner, for preparing the 6-bromo-6-dehydro com the said starting compound. When the substituent in .C-l7u is a radical of an acetylenic hydrocarbon, surprisingly it is not necessary to protect the hydroxyl group in C-l7,'during the final dehydration step, whereas the l7a-alkyl-e.g. the 17a-methyl-comp0unds, may be protected by esterification against dehydration in C-l7. The 170: =alkyl 19-nor-Mfi-androstadien-17B-ol-3-ones were, therefore, esterified prior to epoxidation, conveniently by heating their pyridine solution with an acid anhydride at 90 for a period between 8 and 72 hours. The final dehydration step yielded the respective 6-halo-6-dehydrocompound esterified at C47 8; if desired, the esters can be converted into the free alcohols by mild alkaline hydrolysis.

It is also possible to first introduce the halogen atoms at C-6 and then the double bond at C-6. Thus, the halogen substituent can be introduced first to produce the a-haloor 6fi-halo-A -3-ketones which have previously been described, for example, in the patent applications of Bowers, Djerassi, Ringold and Zderic, Serial Nos. 775,397, now U.S. patent No. 3,028,401; 776,689, now abandoned; 776,694, now abandoned and 804,153, filed on November 30,1957, December 21, 1957, February 11, 1958 and April 8, 1958, respectively. These 6-'halo-A -3-ketones are subjected to a reaction with chloranil and thus dehydrogenated at C6,7 as described by Ringold in patent application Serial No. 826,121 and by Ringold and Bowers in patent application Serial No. 826,119, both filed on July 10, 1959.

The process according to the invention may be' modified within relatively wide limits, both with regard to the reagents and solvents employed as well as with respect to the conditions of temperature and time for eifecting the operations. The introduction of the double bond at C-6 may be carried out by other methods difierent from the reaction with chloranil, for example by reaction of the starting A -3-ketone with an alkyl orthoformate in dioxane solution and in the. presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid, to obtain a 3-enolether which upon subsequent reaction with N-bromo-acetamide in a buffered aqueous acetone solution produces a 6/8-bromo-A 3-ketone. The latter is then dehydrobrominated with calcium carbonate in hot dimethylformarnide solution.

. The invention will be further illustrated but not limited by the following examples:

Example I t A mixture of 5 g. of 17a-ethynyl-19-nor-testosterone described by Djerassiet al. in J. Am. Chem. Soc, 76,

4092 (1954), g. of chloranil, 125 cc. of ethyl acetate and 25 cc. of glacial acetic acid was refluxed under an atmosphere of nitrogen for 20 hours. The solution was cooled, washed with 1% aqueous sodium hydroxide solution until the washings were colorless, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated to dryness under reduced pressure. Chromatography on neutral alumina yielded 17 a ethynyl 19-nor-A -androstadiene-17 8-01-3- one; M.P. 251-252; [41] --151 (chloroform);

A553? 284 my, log 4.38

A solution of 3 g. of the above dienone in 200 cc. of methylene chloride was mixed with 200 cc. of a 5.5% solution of monoperphthalic acid (6 molar equivalents) in ether and kept for 48 hours at room temperature; the mixture was then washed with 5% aqueous sodium carbonate solution and water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated until crystallization started. The mixture was cooled and the precipitate was collected by filtration and air-dried. There was obtained 17u-ethynyl- 19 nor-6a,7a-oxido-testosterone;

A33? 240-242 III/1., 10g 6 4.18

' evaporated to dryness, thus leaving as a residue 1711- 20- 4 with a mixture of 4.5 cc. of anhydrous tetrahydrofurane and 3.2 g. of dry hydrogen fluoride, little by little and under stirring. The mixture was allowed to reach room temperature and kept for 20 hours at this temperature; it was then poured into 1 it. of 5% aqueous potassium carbonate solution mixed with ice, under vigorous stirring; the organic layer was separated, washed with water to neutral, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated to dryness. The residue consisted of the crude 6,8- fluoro-h-hydroxy-17a-ethynyl-19-nor-testosterone.

A slow stream of dry hydrogen chloride was introduced into a solution of 2 g. of the above compound in 100 cc. of glacial acetic acid until saturation and then the container was closed by a stopper and kept at room temperature for 4 hours; after pouring into ice cold salt solution, the product was extracted with methylen chloride, the extract was washed with 5% aqueous sodium carbonate solution and water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and ethynyl-6-fluoro-19-nor-A -and-rostadiene-17p-ol-3 one.

Example 11 5 g. of l7a-ethynyl-l9-nor-testosterone acetate (German Patent 1,017,166) were dehydrogenated' with chloranil,

exactly as described in Example I, to produce the acetate of 17a-ethynyl-l9-A l -androstadiene-l7B-ol-3-one, M.P.

' 177-178 C.; [uJ 178 (chloroform);

REES? 282-284 my, log e 4.44

Subsequent epoxidation, as described in Example I yielded the 17a-ethynyl-6oa7ot-oxido-19-nor-A -androstene-17501- 3-one-acetate; following the technique described in said example this was treated with hydrogen fluoride to give 170: ethynyl GB-fiouro-h-hydroxy-l9-nor-testosteroneacetate and reaction of the aforesaid compound with dry hydrogen chloride yielded 17a-ethynyl-6-fiuoro-19-nor- A -an-drostadiene-17B-ol-3- one acetate.

A solution of 1 g. of the latter acetate in 100 cc. of methanol containing 0.5 .g. of potassium hydroxide was refluxed for 1 hour. The solution was neutralized with acetic acid, concentrated to a small volume and poured into 500 cc. of water. The precipitate was collected and crystallized from acetone-ether, thus atfordin-g the free 17Ot-fithYIlYl-6flll0l'0-19 IlOI-A androst-adiene 17p ol- 3-one.

Example III A solution of 2 g. of 17u-methyl-19=nor-testosterone in 10 cc. of pyridine was heated with 4 cc. of acetic anhydride, at a temperature in the vicinity of 90 C. for 48 hours. The mixture was poured into water, heated for them on a steam bath, then cooled and the solid collected by filtration, washed with water, dried and recrys- A solution of 2 g. of 17a-ethynyl-19-nor-6a,7a-oxidotallized from acetone-hexane. There was obtained 17amethyl-19'-nor-testosterone-acetate.

2 g. of the above compound were dehydrogenated with chloranil following the procedure of Example I, to obtain 17a-methyl-19-nor-A -androstadiene--01- 3 one acetate; subsequent treatment with monoperphthalic acid yielded 17a-methyl-6a,7u-oxido-19 nor A androstene- 17fl-ol-3-one acetate; this compound was submitted to the reaction with hydrogen fluoride to 'give 17a-methy1-6B- fluoro-19-nor-A -androstene-7a,17fl-diol-3-one 17-acetate; finally, by treatment with hydrogen chloride in acetic acid, 17d-Il'l6l4hY1-6-fll101'0-19-DOI-A androstadiene 175 ol- 3-one acetate was obtained.

By hydrolysis as described in Example 11, free 17amethyl-G-fluoro-19-nor-A -androstadiene-175-01 3 one was prepared.

1 Example IV 17a-ethynyl-6a,7a-oxido-19-nor-testosterone obtained in accordance to Example I was treated with hydrogen chloride in acetic acid under anhydrous conditions as described in said example. Thus l7a-ethynyl-6-chloro-19 nor-A androstadienel7fi-ol-3-one was obtained.

Example V The procedure of Example V was repeated with 17amethyl-6a,7u-oxido-19-nor-A -androstene-17B 01 3 one acetate, obtained in accordance with Example III. Thus 17a-rnethyl-6-chloro-l9-nor-A androstadiene 175 ol- 3-one acetate was obtained which was hydrolyzed to free l7a-methyl-6-chloro-l9-nor-A androstadiene 17B ol- 3-one by the method described in Example II.

Example VII The procedure of Example IV was repeated, but utilizing hydrogen bromide instead of hydrogen chloride, under the same conditions, to afford 17a-ethynyl-6-bron1o-l9- nor-A -androstadiene-17,B-ol-3-one.

Example VIII The procedure of Example V was repeated but utilizing hydrogen bromide instead of hydrogen chloride under the same conditions to afiord 17a-ethynyl-6-bromo-19-nor- A -androstadiene-17,8-01-3-one acetate.

Example IX The procedure of Example VI was repeated, but utilizing hydrogen bromide instead of hydrogen chloride, under the same conditions, to afiord 17a-rnethyl-6-bromo-l9- nor-M -androstadiene-17fi-ol-3-one acetate which was hydrolyzed to free 17a-methyl-6-bromo-19-nor-A -androstadiene-17p-ol-3-one by the method described in Example II.

Example X A solution of 5.65 g. of 17a-ethynyl-19-nor-testosterone in a mixture of 28 cc. of dioxane and 5.65 cc. of ethylorthoformate was treated with 0.72 cc. of a solution of p-toluenesulfonic acid in dioxane (prepared by dissolving 0.488 g. of p-toluenesulfonic acid in 5.4 cc. of dry dioxane and 1.1 cc. of absolute ethanol) and stirred at room temperature for 75 minutes, 2 cc. of pyridine were then added and the solution was evaporated to dryness. The crystalline residue was washed with hexane and the crude prodnot was crystallized from hexane, thus affording 171xethynyl-3-ethoxy-19-nor-A -androstadiene-17,8-ol, having a M.P. of 187-189 C.; [ab 228 (chloroform);

A 242 m log 6 4.35

and 1.04 cc. of acetic acid. The mixture was stirred at a temperature of 5 C. for 75 minutes, an excess of water was added and the product was extracted with ether. The solvent was evaporated and the residue was refluxed for 1 hour under an atmosphere of nitrogen with 8.0 g. of calcium carbonate in 100 cc. of dimethyl-formamide. The mixture was filtered, the insoluble discarded and the. filtrate evaporated to dryness under reduced pressure. Crystallization of the residue from methanol furnished 17a-ethynyl-l9-nor-A -androstadiene-l76-ol-3-one, identical with the intermediate described in Example I.

Subsequent acetylation, as described in Example III, afforded l7a-ethynyl-l9-nor-A androstadiene 17p ol- 3-one acetate identical with the intermediate described in Example II.

Example XI Exactly as described in the foregoing example, 17aethynyl-l9-nor-test0sterone acetate was converted into its 6 enolether. Treatment with N-bromosuccinimide and dehydrobromination atforded 17a-ethynyl-19-nor A androstadiene-17B-ol-3-one acetate.

Example XII Exactly as described in Example X, 17a-m-ethyl-19 nor-testosterone Was converted into its enolether. Treat ment with N-bromosuccinimide and dehydrobromination' afforded l7a-i'nethyl-l9-nor-A androstadiene 17B ol- 3-one, which was acetylated by the procedure described in Example III, to afford 17oz methyl-19-nor A androstadiene-l7B-ol-3-one acetate, identical with the intermediate of Example 111.

Example XIII Exactly as described in Example X, l7a-methyl-l9-nortestosterone acetate, obtained as described in Example III was converted to its enolether. Treatment with N-bromosuccinimide and dehydrobromination gave 17 tat-methyll9-nor-A -androstadiene-17B-ol-3-one acetatei identical to the intermediate of Example III.

Example XIV 17er-methyl-19-nor-testosterone was converted into 170:- methyl-19-nor-A androstadiene 17B ol-3-one by the reaction with chloranil, described in Example I. Subsequent acetylation, as described in Example III, afforded 17arnethyl-19-nor-A -androstadiene-17;8-ol-3-one acetate identical with the intermediate mentioned in Example III.

Example XV A mixture of 5 g. of 17a-ethyl-nor-testosterone, described by Colton et al. in J. Am. Chem. Soc. 79, 1123 (1957), 50 cc. of cyclopentylpropionic anhydride and 500 mg. of p-toluenesulfonic acid was kept at room temperature for 12 hours, poured into ice water, heated on the steam bath for 1 hour to hydrolyze the excess of anhyd-n'de and extracted several times with ether. The extract was washed with water, aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution and water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and evap orated to dryness. The residue was treated with cc. of 1% methanolic potassium hydroxide for 1 hour at temperatures around 0 C. and then acidified with acetic acid,

there was added 5 cc. of ethyl orth oformate and mg.

of p-toluenesulfonic acid monohydrate and the mixture was stirred for 30 minutes; with cooling and stirring there were then slowly added 12 ec. of pyridine and 500 cc. of water. extract was washed with water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated to dryness under reduced pressure. Recrystallization of the residue from methanol furnished the 3-e-thyl-enol-ether of 17a-ethyl-nor-testosterone cyclopentylpropionate.

A mixture of 5 g. of the above compound, 2 g. of sodium acetate, 100 cc. of acetone and 20 cc. of water was cooled to 0 C., treated with 2 g. of N-chlorosuccinimide and 2 cc. of glacial acetic acid and stirred for 30 minutes at a temperature between 0 and 5 C. The mixture was then diluted with 250 cc. of Water and kept overnight in the refrigerator. The precipitate formed was collected, washed with water, dried under vacuum and crystallized from acetone. 6/3-chloro-l7a-ethyl-l9 nor testosterone cyclopentylpropionate.

5 'g. of the cyclopentylpropionate of 6p-chloro-17aethyl-l9-nor-testosterone was dehydrogenated by the reac- The mixture was extracted with ether and the There was: thus obtained Examples X Vl-XXIII In accordance with the esterification procedure de scribed in Example III, but using propionic anhydride instead of acetic anhydride, the following propionates were prepared:

Examples I Examples Starting materials Final product XVI- 17a-ethynyl-19-nor-A propionate of 17a-ethyny1- androstadiene-17fl-o1-3- 19-nor-A -androstadieneone. 17,9-o1-3-0ne.

XVIL 17a-methyl-19-nor-A propionate of Hut-methylandrostadiene-17fi-o1-3- 19-nor-A -andrstadieneone. 175-016-011 e.

XVIII. 17a-ethynyl-6-fluoro-19-n0rpropionate of Hot-ethynyl- XX 17a-ethynyl-6-br0mo-19norpropionate of 17aethynyl- XXI 17a-methyl-6-fiu0ro-19-norpropionate of 17a-methy1-6- A -androstadienedmfluoro-19-nor-A andro- 01.3.one. stadiene-l7B-ol-3-one.

XXII- 17a-methyl-fi-chloro-lQ-norpropionate of 17a-methyl-6- Examples XXI V-XXXI Instead of the propionic anhydride as used in the foregoing examples, cyclopentylpropionic anhydride was used, prolonging the reaction time to 96 hours, and the cyclopentylpropionoxy analogs of the compounds enumerated in said examples were obtained.

Examples XXXII-XXXIV Following the procedure set forth in particular under Examples I, IV and VII, there were prepared the following new compounds II trom the cited starting materials I:

17a-ethy1-17fl-acetate XX XII--.

XXXIII...

XXXIV. 17z-(propinyl-(1)) Example XXX V 17a-ethyl-nor-testosterone cyclopentylpropi-onate obtained in accordance with Example XVI, was converted into its enol ether by the procedure of Example X. Treatment with N-bromosuccinimide and dehydrobromination afforded l7a-ethyl-1'9-nor-A -androstadiene-17$ ol-3-one cyclopentylpropionate. Following the procedure of Example I, the 6oc,7oL-BPOXId6 was prepared, the epoxide ring was opened by reaction with hydrogen fluoride, and final dehydration yielded 17a-ethyl-6-fluoro-19-nor- A -androstadiene-17fi-ol-3-one cyclopentylpropionate.

We claim: 1. A compound having the general formula wherein X is selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine and bromine, R is a hydrocarbon radical of up to 8 carbon atoms, selected from the group consisting of aliphatic saturated and acetylenic hydrocarbons, and R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and the acyl radical of a hydrocarbon carboxylic acid having up to 12 carbon atoms.

2. A compound described in claim 1, in which R is methyl.

3. A compound as described in claim 1, in which R is ethyl.

4. A compound as described in claim 1, in which R is ethynyl.

5. A compound as described in claim 1, in which R is propinyl(-1).

6. A compound as described in claim 1, in which R is propyl.

7. A compound as described in claim 1, in which X is fluorine.

8. A compound as described in claim 1, in which X is chlorine.

9. A compound as described in claim 1, in which X is bromine.

10. A compound as described in claim 1, in which R is a hydrogen atom.

11. A compound as described in claim 1, in which R is acetyl.

12. A compound as described in claim 1, in which R is propionyl.

13. A compound as described in claim 1, in which 24. 'l7a-ethynyl-6-chloro 19 nor-A -androstadiene- 1713-01-3 -one propionate.

25. 17a-ethyny1 1 9 nor-M' -androstadiene-1713-01-3- one.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Colton Mar. 27, 1956 Colton July 26, 1960 

1. A COMPOUND HAVING THE GENERAL FORMULA 